The Primary Sector Awards were held last week with the Horticentre Trust Hawkes Bay Horticulturist of the Year, (co-sponsored by EIT) awarded to RJ Flowers Ltd.
RJ Flowers Ltd currently has three trainees and a long history of supporting kiwis into jobs and training, as well as supporting a large family of RSE workers. Congratulations to Wendy and John Evans, Ron and Chrissy Flowers- well deserved.
As harvest is drawing to an end, trainee classes are about to start again. The first is a tutorial for all year levels on the 29th of April at 4pm. We will welcome back the trainees and remind them of the assessments stretching out in front of them. All the teaching staff will be there as well as a learning facilitator to help with researching.
We are accepting new trainees into Year 1 up until the 29th of April, as we have built in, some catch up classes. If you have any likely candidates please get in touch. We have had an additional 12 enrol since the end of January.
On the 30th of April the Year 1 trainees will complete the theory day for Fruit Support Structures. This involves tying wires and setting up posts and end assemblies. This is a valuable skill for orchard hands, when setting up new blocks and repairing damaged end assemblies. Clare will be chasing up the work that was delivered before the harvest regarding personal well-being and Warren will be asking for the tractor assessments.
Year 2 trainees. Botany is an academic subject but the knowledge gained is invaluable in understanding a range of fruit production processes. For instance understanding flowers which is important in good pollination to avoid misshapen fruit. Lisa who is the tutor, has vast experience in making this subject interesting and relevant. The harvest criteria fruit quality assignment that was due on the 30th of April, is now due at the tutorial on the 13th May. This will allow students to work on the assignment at the tutorial on the 29th of April.
Clare has an exciting day planned for the Year 3 trainees on the 30th of April, with a range of guest speakers that will enhance their knowledge of market requirements. I can report that all the trainees have now handed in the first part of this assignment. It took some chasing but well done. Brian will also be requiring some of the Human Resource Management assessment in May.
I am getting quite a few enquiries about the Fruit Production Diploma, the 2021 delivery of which started in January. It is too late for that course but we can still take new enrolments for the remaining three courses delivered this year. The first day for these is on the 6th of May. Please contact me if you wish to join this programme.
As always if you have any queries or concerns please get in touch with EIT Tutor Gordon Reid greid@eit.ac.nz , 06 8301851 or 0273940410.
